celebrity fashion

From the original dress Judy Garland was to wear in the Wizard of Oz to a one-of-kind Donna Karan dress custom-made for Barbra Streisand and Joan Crawford’s jewels, fans of old Hollywood’s fabled glamour will find much to ogle in a new exhibition on view at the Metreon.

Culled from the extensive collection of Oakland memorabilia collector Barry Barsamian, the showing of over 200 pieces worn or owned by Hollywood television and film stars includes vintage gowns, costumes and all manner of accessories touched by silver screen greats, including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Lucille Ball, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope and many others.

We were glad to learn we aren’t the only ones who’ve pondered the substance responsible for Mayor Gavin Newsom’s ever-so-neatly coiffed ‘do. The product or products behind the mayoral mane’s enviable hold and impressively uniform shape have intrigued us for years. Finally, today we have the answer. And we have none other than Ryan Seacrest to thank.

Seacrest opened his KIIS-FM radio program yesterday morning not with queries probing his guest’s political aspirations, but with this far more personal question: “What is that product that you put in your slick, shiny hair?”

Daylight savings, which goes into effect early Sunday morning, isn’t the only reason to spring forward this weekend. Here are three more:

Get a leg up on the season’s latest trends in footwear courtesy of Simon Doonan, creative director of Barneys New York. The well-known arbiter of style touches down in San Francisco today especially for this afternoon’s event highlighting must-have shoes for spring 2009. Prepare to drool over showstoppers from such designers as Lanvin, Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik. To attend, RSVP to the number below.